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(No Model.) s Sheet-Sheet 1.

, U. D. JBNNEY.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELEGTRIG MAOHINES. No. 373,369. Patented NOV. 15, 1887.

N. PETERS. Fhalwlllhngm'phar. wmzn im. n. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C; D. JENNEY.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELEGTRIG MACHINES. N0. 373,369. Patented Nov. 15,1887.

x (No'Mode1-.)' 3 SheetsSheet 3.

O. D. JENNEY.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO ELB G TR'IG MACHINES.

No 373,369. Patented Nov. 15', 1887.

WITNESSES.

N. rnzna Phoioilkhcgraphur, \Vashinglon. n, c.

-tion of my improved regulator onthe dotted UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES D. JENNEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,369, dated Nevernber 15, 1887.

Application filed January 20, 1887.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES D. J ENNEY, of the city of Indiana olis, county of Marion, and State of lndianafiiave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Regulators for Dynamo-Electric Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said invention is to produce an improved device by which the commutator-brushes of dynamo-electric machines may be automatically adjusted as the electric current varies in intensity, and said current be thus maintained at an equal working strength at all times, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is an end elevation of a dynamo-electric machine, showing myimproved regulator and an electric lamp inside elevation; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the machine, showing my improved regulator in end elevation; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of that portion of the regulator which is attached directly to the machine, the telescopic shaft or rod which opcrates directly upon the brush-holder being brought into vertical position, so that it may also be shown in section, the view being otherwise on the dotted line 3 3; Fig. 4, a transverse vertioal sectionon the dotted line 4 4; Fig. 5, a horizontal sectional view, looking downwardly from the dotted line 5 5; Fig. 6, a central vertical section of the switching porline 6 6; Fig. 7, a transverse sectional view of the same, looking toward the right from the dotted line 7 7; and Fig. 8, a detail sectional view of the connection between the operating rod or shaft and the brush-holder rockerarm.

In said drawings the portions marked A represent the driving-shaft of my improved regulator; B, an interiorly-screw-threaded hollow shaft, which, together with the rod B, connects the other mechanism to the brushholder rocker-arm F; O O, oppositely-disposed electro-magnets, which operate, as will be hereinafter described, to vary the position of the shaft A; D, a pivoted bar having an Serial No. 224,861. (No model.)

arm which extends between two contactpoints, and is one element of the switching and cut-out device; E, the electro-magnet of said cut-out device; and F, the rocker-arm, carrying the brush-holders and brushes.

The shaft A is arranged within a hollow stationary tube, A, and is mounted at one end in a rocking box, a, and at the other in the combined bearing and armature 0, located between the electro magnets C C. A wheel, A, is mounted upon the outer end of this shaft, and should be so formed, as shown, that its bearing-surface will be in the same plane as the bearing-points of the rocking box a, so that the movement of the shaft, and consequently of said bearing, shall have as little effect as possible upon the position of this wheel. The pull of the belt, therefore, has little or no tendency to move that end of the shaft and its hearing which is between the electro-magnets. Said wheel is preferably driven by a belt, a from a similar wheel, A 011 the shaft of the dynamo-electric machine, as shown most plainly in Fig. 1. On the other end of this shaft A is a beveled friction-wheel, a, which extends between the similarly-beveled surfaces of two other friction-wheels, b b", which are rigidly mounted on the tubular shaft B, and thus, as this end-of the shaft Ais moved up or down by the force of the electro-magnets, (as willbe presently described,) this friction-wheel a comes in contact with one or the other of the friction-wheels b b, and thus drives said tubular shaft in one or the other direction and elevates or depresses the rocker-arm carrying the brush-holders, and shifts the position of the brushes, as will be readily understood.

The tubular shaft B is mounted in a rocking box, b in an inclosing framework or housing, A, rigidly mounted on the tube A and forming a continuation thereof. As before stated, the interior of this tubular shaft is screw-threaded, and the rod B, which is connected to the rocker-ar m, has a screwth read ed portion on its upper end which engages with the screw-threads in the interior of this shaft. Thus when this shaft is revolved the rod B is drawn up or pushed down, and the rockerarm moved accordingly, thereby shifting the brushes on the commutator, as will be readily understood. The box I), being pivoted, as before described, permits the slight necessary oscillation incident to this movement.

The electro-magnets O and O are secured upon the frame or housing A", one aboveand the other below the combined bearing and armature c, in which the front end of the shaft A is mounted. When the current is running evenly and isjust sufficient to do the desired work, these magnets are cut out, (as will be presently described,) and this combined hearing and armature then forms a bearing simply, and is held to such position as has previously been determined upon, which should be midway between the poles of the electro-magnets. A spring-mounted rod, 0 is secured between the cores of the magnets, and is so adjusted by a pair of nuts that it will just support this combined bearing and armature in this position. The spring 0', which supports this rod, is made ofjust sufficient strength, so that the power of the electro-magnets 0', when energized, will overcome its resistance and pull down the combined bearing and armature c,

g which will throw the wheel a into contact with the wheel I) and revolve the tubular shaft B,

and thus move the brush-holder and brushes in one direction. \Vhen the electro-magnets O are energized, they serve'to draw up the combined bearing and armature c away from the rod (3 and against their poles, which will throw the wheel a into contact with the wheel I) and revolve the shaft 13 and move the brushholder and brushes in the other direction. The pin 0 is simply a guide-pin passing through the neutral portion of the electromagnets O and through the frame or housing A, and is rigidly connected to the combined bearing and armature 0, thus preventing said combined bearing and armature from tipping or rocking. This pin is preferably hollow, and thus serves to convey the lubricant to the bearing in which the shaft A revolves.

The pivoted bar D has an arm, (I, which extends down between and is normally in contact with both of two springs or contact-points, s s. It is connected to the cores of the axial magnets E at one end and has a weight or spring mounted upon or attached to the other, which is preferably adjustable, so that it may be arranged to be overcome wit-h more or less resistance, as the character of the current may require. Said devices are to be so arranged in practice that the bar D will be held at a substantial]y-horizontal position by the electromagnetic force, and the arm d (as before explained) thus kept in contact with both the springs or contact-points s s. \Vhen, however, from any cause, the current increases in quantity, the end of this bar to which the cores of the magnets are connected is pulled down, thus parting contact between the arm d and the spring or contact-point s, and, in the arrangement shown, short-circuiting the electro-magnets O and throwing the electro-magnets 0 into operation, thus pulling the wheel a into contact with the wheel 6 with the result previously described. When, from any cause, the current becomes unusually weak,

the weight or spring on the other end of the bar D overcomes the electromagnetic force, throwing the arm at forcibly against the spring or contact-point s and parting it from the spring or contact-point 8, thus short-circuiting the electro-magnets O and throwing the electromagnets G into operation, pulling up the combined bearing and armature c, thus bringing the wheel a into contact with the wheel 1), and turning the tubular shaftB and moving the brush-holder and brushes-in the other direction. A bar, z, of insulating material is placed between the springs s and s and limits their movement toward each other, thus insuring that neither will follow the arm d when said arm is moved away from it. Setscrews d and d are arranged above and below the bar D and limit its movement. These screws, as will be readily seen, may be adjusted as desired.

The rocker-arm F carries the brush-holders for the commutator-brushes, as usual. It also has a wrist-pin, f, by which it is connected to the rod B. Said rod B has secured to its lower end a block, 13*, by a set-screw, b, and into this block a bearing-block, f, is fitted, and there secured by a button, If. WVhen it is desired to disconnect the rod from the rockerarm, the button 1) is given a quarter-turn, and the block B can then be slipped off the bearing-blockf, and the rocker-arm is free to be moved by hand in the usual manner. After the rocker-arm has been set to approximately the position desired the rod 13 is screwed up or down to about that position where the block B may be slipped over the bearingblock f, and there secured by turning the button to the position shown.

The normal course of the current when the machine is in operation is as follows: Leaving the dynamoelectric machine, itpasses over the wire 1 to the electromagnet E, thence by the wire 2 to the spring 3, thence through the arm d to the spring 8, thence by the wire 3 to the lamp, .and thence by the wire 4 back to the dynamo-electric machine.

When the current increases in quantity,the course is as follows: Leaving the machine, as before, it passes over the wire 1 to the magnets E, which being given greater energy there- .by draw down the bar D, parting contact between the arm d and the spring 8. Thence the current passes over the wire 5 to the electromngnets O, thence around the loop-wire 6 to the wire 7. thence to the bar D,over its arm (I to the spring .9, thence over the wire 3 to the lamp, and thence by the wire 4 back to the machine. The current, as already explained, passing through the magnets 0 draws down the combined armature and bearing 0,-throwing the wheela into contact with the wheel I), revolving the tubular shaft B,and raising the rockenarm and the brushes carried thereby, thus decreasing the energy of the machine. When the desired change has been effected the bar D, which overcomes them and forces the arm d away from the spring 3' against the springs. The current thence passes by the wire 2 to said spring 8, thence through the arm d and bar D to the wire 7, thence to the loop -wire 6 and to the electro magnets O, thence by the wires 8 and 3 to the lamp, and thence back over the line-wire 4 to the machine. The increased energy of the electromagnets O pulls the combined armature and bearing a up, bringing the wheel a into contact with the wheel I), revolving the tubular shaftB in the other direction and moving the brushholder and brushes carried thereby down. As before, when the current is restored to normal quantity or intensity,the normal condition first described is restored. The course of the current as herein described may be reversed without materially afiecting the operation of my regulator. This regulator may also by some changes in winding and connecting the coils be used with a dynamo for incandescent lighting. 3

It will be seen that by the described means a very sensitive regulator is produced and one which operates certainly and efficiently. By the various adjusting devices described it is capable of being adjusted to do any desired work and easily and quickly shifted from one position to another.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the commutatorbrushes of a dynamo-electric machine, of an automatic regulator consisting of a telescopic rod the sections of which are connected by a screw-threaded coupling, a shaft mounted at one end in a combined bearing and armature located between two sets of electro-magnets, and a series of wheels which are thrown into contact and adapted to revolve said shaftin one direction when one set of magnets is energized and to revolve it in the other direction when the other set of magnets is energized, and appropriate electrical connections and switches, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination, with electro-magnets for operating a combined bearing and armature, of a vibrating bar carrying an arm. extending between two contact points or springs, and an electro-maguet and a weight or spring operating oppositely on said bar, whereby an increase of current through said electro-magnet will switch the currentin one direction and energize one set of magnets operating upon said combined bearing and armature, and a decrease of current will permit said weight or spring to switch the current through the other set of electromagnets operating upon said combined bearing and armature, and thus move said combined bearing and armature in one or the other direction and operate the mechanism accordingly, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in an automatic regulator for dynamo-electric machines, of a v1- brating shaft, A, having a frictionwheel, a, on one end, atubularinteriorly-screw-threaded shaft or nut, 13, having friction-wheels b b, and a rod having ascrew-threaded portion fitting inside said tubular shaft or nut and engaging with the screwthreads therein and connected to the rocker-arm carrying the brushes at its lower end, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

4. The combination, with a rocker-arm carrying commutator-brushes and a regulator therefor, of a connection between said regulator and said rocker-arm, consistingofa block, B a bearing-block, f, (mounted on a wristpin in said rocker-awn) fitted therein, and a button for securing said bearing-block in place, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of a dynamo-electric machine, a shaft, A, driven from the shaft of said machine and adapted to vibrate somewhat, two sets of oppositely-disposed electromagnets, an armature located betweenthermwhich also forms one of the bearings for said shaft, a telescopic shaft or rod adapted to be operated by said shaft A and extending down to and connecting with the rocker-arm carrying the commutator-brushes, said rocker-arm, and means for energizing alternately first one and then the other of said sets of electro-magnets as the current becomes strongeror weaker than is desired, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of a dynamo-electric machine, an automatic current-regulator embodying a vibrating shaft mounted at one end in a rocking box and at the other end in a movable bearing, electromagnetic devices for moving the same, and a wheel mounted on the end of said shaft and by which it is driven, said wheel being so formed as to extend in over said rocking box, so that the bearingsurface thereof shall be in the same plane as the bearing-points of said rocking box, sub stantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, in an automatic regulator for dynamo-electric machines, of a series of wheels and shafts, oppositely-disposed electro-magnets with an armature arranged between them, which serves also as a bearing for one of the shafts, a springsupported sustaining-rod, 0 upon which said combined bearing and armature normally rests. and'a guide-pin, O, which holds said combined bearing and armature in position, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination of a dynamo-electric machine, the commutator, the commutatorbrushes, the rocker-arm carrying the same, a screw-threaded rod connected thereto, a revoluble tube or nut connected to said rod and carrying friction-wheels, a vibrating shaft havinga friction-wheel adapted to engage with the friction-wheels on said tube or nut, oppo sitely-disposed magnets for forcing said shaft in one or the other direction, and thus effecting engagement between the wheels, a switching device whereby as the quantity of current increases or decreases one or the other of said magnets will be energized, and the proper electrical connections and the linewires, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of a dynamo-electric machine, an electric device for operating the rockenarm carrying the brushholders and brushes, and an automatic switch for energiZ ing first one portion and then the other of said device, said switch consisting of apivoted bar having an arm, two springs or contact-points between which said arm extends, a bar orstop arranged between said springs composed of insulating material, and a solenoid for operating said pivoted bar, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 11th day of January, A. l). 1887.

CHARLES D. JENNEY. 

